LOWELL ߝ In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, UMass Lowell is hosting several events which include poetry, music and discussions, culminating with a speaker series on October 15.

The month-long celebration includes readings at the Massachusetts Poetry Festival. The events require tickets, which can be purchased at the door or by visiting http://masspoetry.org. The featured readers include:

* Rhina Espaillat, born in the Dominican Republic and winner of the Salome Ureña de Henríquez Award. She will be reading with Regie Gibson and Nick Flynn. Friday, Oct. 10, 7 p.m. Lowell High School Freshman Academy, 43 French St., Downtown Lowell

* Marjorie Agosín, professor of Spanish at Wellesley College and author of Toward the Splendid City. She will be reading with poet and activist Ed Sanders. Saturday, Oct. 11, 1:30 p.m. Lowell High School Freshman Academy, 43 French St., Downtown Lowell

* Martín Espada, called “the Latino poet of his generation” and “the Pablo Neruda of North American authors,” will be reading with poets Lucie-Brock Broido and Robert Pinsky. Saturday, Oct. 11, 7 p.m. Lowell High School Auditorium, 50 Father Morissette Blvd. in Downtown Lowell

Hispanic Heritage Month continues with a speaker series, “Politics Matter.” The series is free and open to the public. Speakers include:

The final event of the month is a preview film screening of “Scenes From a Parish,” with director James Rutenbeck. The screening is free and open to the public.

* “Scenes From a Parish” is a documentary film featuring the congregation at St. Patrick’s Parish in Lawrence, a mixed group of Latinos, Asians, and Anglo-Americans, and the difficulties they encounter after a division in the church. Thursday Oct. 23, 7 to 9 p.m., O'Leary 222 on South Campus, UMass Lowell, 61 Wilder St.

UMass Lowell, with a national reputation in science, engineering and technology, is committed to educating students for lifelong success in a diverse world and conducting research and outreach activities that sustain the economic, environmental and social health of the region.. UML offers its 12,000 students more than 120 degree choices, internships, five-year combined bachelor’s to master’s programs and doctoral studies in the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Engineering and Management, the School of Health and Environment, and the Graduate School of Education. www.uml.edu